Excite readies community builder

Excite is expected to launch a
community builder service powered by recently
acquiredThrow, giving the
portal an early jump on a landscape characterized by fast followers, CNET
News.com has learned.

The new community builder will allow users to create their own closed,
customized communities, a source close to the company said. Members of the
customized community will be able to interact using chat and message
boards, and will be able to manipulate personalized content though a beefed-up home
page builder that supports graphics and pictures.

Community builders are a way for portal companies to retain consumers in an
aggressively competitive space. For example, a book club can establish its
own community in which users can interact via chat, email, and message boards. Since the
community is established on the Web site, members will return frequently.
This then allows portals to serve more advertisements to a consistent
group of visitors, which is music to their ears.

Though Excite may be the first major portal to unveil this type of service,
others are not far behind. In June, Infoseekacquired280 for $800,000 in cash. Similar to Throw,
280 creates Web-based services that allow users from multiple locations or
companies to collaborate on projects using shared workspaces on the Internet.

Excite's service will be integrated on its site, and will be launched
in beta shortly, the source said.